In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers set out a plan to create the largest universal preschool program in the country for 4-year-olds, through a massive ramp-up of an elementary grade known as transitional kindergarten, or TK.

At a , Newsom  鈥渁 commitment that all 4-year-olds will get high quality instructional education,鈥� and said that the investment could close learning gaps. 鈥淧eople aren鈥檛 left behind, as often as they start behind,鈥� he added.

The state set a deadline that every district offer transitional kindergarten to all eligible 4-year-olds by fall 2025, and in the intervening years, schools have enrolled more than 175,000 children in TK. They鈥檝e also had  and  so that kids have enough space and quick access to .

LAist spoke to more than a half dozen early childhood researchers who say a key piece has been missing in the state鈥檚 implementation: California itself hasn鈥檛 evaluated the program as it’s expanded, nor does it have plans to going forward. This, despite studies showing how critical the early years are for a child鈥檚 learning, and research from another state鈥檚 public preschool program that found students tested lower on state assessments and had more behavioral problems compared to those who weren鈥檛 in that program..

鈥溾�奍t is a huge mistake to not evaluate the implementation of TK and whether or not the classrooms are providing developmentally appropriate practice,鈥� said Jade Jenkins, associate professor of education at the University of California, Irvine.

The criticism comes as California has invested , and is paying about  to administer the new grade level.

鈥溾�奧e need to know whether this investment is actually lifting kids. We know it’s a huge economic windfall for parents, and that’s a great boost for families. But is it lifting kids without government research?鈥� said Bruce Fuller, a professor emeritus of education and public policy at UC Berkeley.

A spokesperson for the California Department of Education said money for research has not been allocated in the state budget, and the department would 鈥渨elcome a legislative appropriation鈥� to 鈥渟tudy the impacts of TK on students and families.鈥�

鈥淎t this time, the Legislature and Governor have not appropriated funding for the CDE to conduct evaluations,鈥� the agency said.

It鈥檚 not the first time the agency has brought up the need for a study 鈥� especially as the program was rolling out statewide. A state official told LAist in 2022 , but they opted not to suggest how it should be funded.

鈥淵ou could launch a very high quality study at a tiny, tiny, tiny percentage of the total funding for that program, and that would help people figure out what we are actually offering our families and how to improve it 鈥� and that seems really important,鈥� said Alix Gallagher, 鈥奷irector of聽聽for the research organization Policy Analysis for California Education. 鈥淎s a taxpayer, I don’t find it acceptable that billions of dollars are being spent with no attention to how our systems can learn to use that in ways that are most beneficial for kids.”

TK experiences can look different school to school

The state sets , which can have a max of 24 kids and need a 10:1 student to adult ratio. Teachers must be credentialed with early childhood educational experience or units. And while the state  should learn in TK, it has 鈥� meaning  to more academic.

Lyse Messmer, a parent of a TK child in northeast L.A., has seen even variation between two schools her son has attended in the same area. His first program relied more on screen time and worksheets; Messmer transferred him to another program with more outdoor play. And the teacher at the former school had not previously taught TK, she said, which made for a harder transition into school.

But she said the overall experience has been beneficial for her child, and a welcome financial relief. 鈥淚 think the benefits of him getting used to a bigger classroom and like a bigger elementary school and navigating all that stuff for him has been really positive,鈥� she said.

Adding a new grade is a massive endeavor for districts. As in Messmer鈥檚 case, it can be especially hard to find teachers with experience teaching kids this age, said Austin Land, a researcher at UC Berkeley鈥檚 Equity and Excellence in Early Childhood.

鈥溾�奩ou can’t require that every kid that wants a TK spot gets a TK spot and then also require this workforce to exist that has all this preexisting training,鈥� Land said.

Land, who has been studying TK before the expansion, said he would like to know basic characteristics of TK classrooms today.

鈥淒o you have a sixth grade teacher that got reassigned leading your classroom or is it somebody who’s been working with little kids for a while?鈥� Land said. 鈥溾�奍s the teacher having a one-on-one interaction with a child or a one-on-two interaction with some children? Or are they spending most of their time up at the front?鈥�

Lack of data on quality

Without data, it鈥檚 hard to know what children are learning, said Allison Friedman-Krauss, an associate research professor at the  at Rutgers University.

鈥淲e want to make sure we’re investing in quality for kids. And one way to know that we’re doing it is to be able to monitor it鈥� we want to make sure that the state can sort of have a pulse on what’s going on in the classroom,鈥� she said.

The institute  across the country on a number of benchmarks of quality. According to the institute鈥檚 tracking, about two-thirds of public preschool programs in the country have a classroom observation system in place, she said. California鈥檚 TK program does not.

Researchers said it鈥檚 especially important to know what these youngest students are doing because early experiences can affect their learning later on.

鈥淎t the very least, we want to make sure it’s not doing harm,鈥� Jenkins said.

Tennessee: A cautionary tale

Researchers point to  as an example of where good intentions were not enough to benefit kids. The state has similar standards to what California put in place: max class sizes, low ratios, specialized teachers.

Dale Farran, a professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University, found in her research that children who attended the pre-K program ended up faring worse academically and behaviorally than their peers who didn鈥檛 attend. Farran said standards don鈥檛 guarantee quality, much less equity between students from different social, economic and racial backgrounds.

鈥淭hose structural elements 鈥奱re the easiest things for states to make rules about, but are they having the kind of interactions in the classrooms that will be positive for children? That鈥檚 much harder to put into place,鈥� she said.

Farran has said that one possible reason for this was the overly academic nature of the program and structured settings: kids sitting at desks and listening to a teacher up front, when kids this age need to move around and play.

Katie Flynn, a mom of a TK student in Pasadena, said while she鈥檚 had an overall positive experience with her son in TK this year, it still feels more like elementary school than preschool.

At the beginning of the year, her son wouldn鈥檛 drink his water all day, or avoided going to the bathroom until he got home, because teachers didn鈥檛 remind or prompt him like they did in private preschool.

鈥溾�奍 know it’s also his responsibility, right? Like he needs to listen to his body. So it’s a mutual, collaborative enterprise, but it just shows how limited this age group is in ensuring that that happens,鈥� she said.

What can the state do?

The California Department of Education said absent funding from the state Legislature for the department to evaluate the program, it convenes a regular group of early childhood researchers in the state to share their work into TK. But researchers LAist talked to from that group said that approach can only go so far.

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, chair of the Assembly Education Committee, said he wasn鈥檛 familiar with the Tennessee study, but funding for evaluation is something he will look into.

鈥淲e definitely need to make sure that we’re again evaluating our most effective programs so that we can focus on best practices to continue to support those statewide,鈥� he said.

When LAist asked how the state will assess the current program, Muratsuchi and a State Board of Education spokesperson pointed to one large-scale study of TK done by the , in 2017. (The governor鈥檚 office also directed LAist to the state board.)

That AIR study found that kids who went to TK when it first started in California had stronger literacy and math skills when entering kindergarten compared to similar-age peers who didn鈥檛 go to TK at the beginning of the year. (Those differences mostly faded by the end of the year).

Land, the UC Berkeley researcher, and Gallagher, of PACE, said the AIR study was done nearly a decade ago, and on a TK program that looks different from TK today.

That’s because when TK started in 2012, they said, it was intended for kids who were nearly 5 years old, but had just missed the cutoff for kindergarten. Today, kids as young as 3 are entering TK in California.

LAist also reached out to Karen Manship, principal researcher of the AIR study. She said they鈥檙e still investigating topics related to transitional kindergarten, 鈥渂ut we do not have any funding or current plans to evaluate the program overall now that it is fully rolled out.鈥�

The state education board spokesperson also cited research by economist Rucker Johnson, who looked at TK between 2013 and 2019, which found low-income children had greater reading and math gains by third grade than students who did not attend TK.

鈥淭hese points tell us that an early start has proven to be beneficial for California students,鈥� said a spokesperson for the board, which sets state policy.

LAist reached out to Johnson, who said that while his study of TK in the early years is promising, it鈥檚 鈥渘ot a sufficient condition.鈥�

鈥淔or improvements to be sustained, meaning even if they were good in the past, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t continue to be monitoring the success as they’re expanded and expanded that scale to universal,鈥� he said.

Kevin McCarty, Sacramento鈥檚 mayor and a former state assemblymember who championed the legislation to expand TK, told LAist funding is a challenge 鈥� given  鈥� but that he welcomes evaluation.

鈥淲e want to make sure that it’s effective, that it works, and if there are any issues that we need to address and improve going forward,鈥� he said. 

In the meantime, he said the program has given many parents a huge economic relief 鈥� and parents have a choice on whether to send their kids.

鈥淭his is free, this is 鈥� California paid for free universal pre-K,鈥� he added, 鈥渨hich is a big deal because, we reminded people, paying for  than sending a kid to UCLA.鈥�

This was originally published on .

Every 4-year-old in California can now go to school for free in their local districts. The new grade is called  鈥� or TK 鈥� and it’s part of the state鈥檚 effort to expand universal preschool.

In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state legislature  in a $2.7 billion plan so that all 4-year-olds could attend by the 2025-26 school year. (Prior to this, TK was only available for kids who missed the kindergarten age cutoff by a few months). While it鈥檚 not mandatory for students to attend, districts must offer them as an alternative to private preschool.

As a free option, it can save parents a lot of money. Parents  how sending their kids into a school-based environment compares to a preschool they might already know and like, as well as other needs like all-day care, and .

One big question we鈥檝e heard: What do kids actually do and learn in a TK classroom? Educators say it鈥檚 intended to emphasize play, but what does that mean?

To help parents get a better sense of this new grade as they make their decisions, LAist reporters spent the day in three different classrooms across the Southland. Here are five things we saw children do.

Get used to the structure and routines of school

For many students, transitional kindergarten is their first introduction to a formal school preschool setting. Crystal Ramirez sent her 4-year-old to TK at Marguerita Elementary School in Alhambra, so he could get used to the rhythm and rigors of school.

鈥淚 didn’t wanna put him straight into kindergarten when he was five, six, so he at least knows a routine, already,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, as soon as he sees that we鈥檙e in school, he loves it.鈥�

TK students, like other elementary school students, follow a schedule: morning bell, recess, lunch, second recess and dismissal. They鈥檙e also learning how to listen to instructions or stand in a line. Some are learning to go to the cafeteria for lunch.

鈥溾�奍 wanna make sure that their first experience in a public school setting is one that is joyful, where they feel loved, where they feel welcomed, where they get to really transition nicely into like the rigor of the school,鈥� said Lauren Bush, a TK teacher at Lucille Smith Elementary in Lawndale.

Claudia Ralston, a TK teacher at Marguerita Elementary, said it can be hard for young kids to get up early and leave their moms and dads. But seven weeks in, many of her students have learned their routines already. She helps with the morning transitions by turning on soft instrumental music in the classroom, and allowing them free play until they regroup on the mat to discuss the day.

鈥淭hey’re four years old. I want them to feel safe at school, know that this is a special place for learning and that they play,鈥� she said.

Learn how to socialize and communicate

In TK,  learning is a big part of the curriculum. That鈥檚 a fancy word, but it just means they鈥檙e learning how to be in touch with their emotions

At Price Elementary in Downey, the teacher has her kids give an affirmation: “I am safe. I am kind. I matter. I make good choices. I can do hard things. All of my problems have solutions!” (They also have these sentences on classroom wall signs.)

The children also learn how to interact with their peers. In some schools, there are no assigned desks so the kids can learn how to share the space.

鈥溾�奣hey’re able to problem solve. They’re able to use communication to get their needs, regulating their emotions. They do better than students who come in without this experience,鈥� said Cristal Moore, principal at Lucille Smith Elementary.

On the playground, a student named Ava told teacher assistant Lizbeth Orozco that another student pushed her.

鈥淗ow did that make you feel?鈥� Orozco asked.

鈥淢补诲!鈥�

Orozco encouraged Ava to express her feelings to her classmate.

鈥溾�奧e give them options of how to solve a problem and then they go in and solve it themselves,鈥� Orozco said. 鈥淚f they need extra help, they always come back and we can help them.鈥�

Arguing over toys can be a common occurrence in a TK classroom. At Price Elementary in Downey, educators help kids work through a solution. On a recent morning, one 4-year-old used two tongs to pick up paper shapes in a sensory bin, leaving another kid upset.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the rule about sharing?鈥� asked Alexandria Pellegrino, a teacher who gives extra support for one TK classroom.

The boy handed over a tong to his peer. 鈥淭hank you so much for being a good friend,鈥� Pellegrino said.

鈥淸It鈥檚] 鈥奱bout being kind friends and making friends and using our manners. So we do build that foundation at the beginning of the year,鈥� said Samantha Elliot, the classroom鈥檚 lead instructor.

At the end of the day in Alvarez鈥檚 Lawndale TK class, she counts up the stars next to each student鈥檚 name earned throughout the day 鈥� earned for positive behavior like being kind, solving problems, trying something challenging, or showing effort in other ways. Ten stars earns a small prize from the treasure chest.

鈥淚f we don鈥檛 get something today are we going to get mad?鈥� Alvarez asked the class.

鈥淣o!鈥� they responded.

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to cry!鈥� one boy piped up, followed by his classmate and a 鈥淢e too!鈥� from another student.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 [a] positive attitude,鈥� Alvarez said. 鈥淏ecause tomorrow you can get more stars!鈥�

Get exposed to numbers, shapes, letters

In Elliot鈥檚 TK class, students use their own little lightsabers to trace letters in the air.

鈥淭hey’re learning the letter, the sound, and then a little action to go with it. They’re wiggling and moving and they’re also learning those letter sounds and they don’t really realize, so it’s incorporating instruction,鈥� she said.

There鈥檚 no mandated curriculum in TK, but instruction is supposed to align with the state鈥檚 . 鈥淜indergarten is basically where the state standards go and kick in. There are standards in TK, but it’s a little bit different,鈥� said Tom Kohout, principal at Marguerita Elementary.

Students might put playdough into letter molds, or the teacher might pull out toys from a bag that all start with a letter 鈥淓.鈥� Kids will play with little plastic toys that connect 鈥� or 鈥渕anipulatives鈥� 鈥� that can help them recognize numbers and patterns.

鈥淚t鈥檚 play with a purpose,鈥� Ralston said. 鈥淭hey’re just being introduced to the numbers, the colors, writing. But again, we’re not doing worksheets.鈥�

Build fine motor skills

Molding pretend cakes with kinetic sand. Connecting small LEGO bricks. Cutting playdough. It might not seem like much, but children this age are still learning how to use their bodies.

鈥淭earing paper is really hard and it’s a really amazing fine motor skill for them because the same muscles you use to tear paper are the same muscles that you use to hold a pen or a pencil,鈥� said Lauren Bush, a TK teacher at Lucille Smith Elementary in Lawndale.

鈥淵ou see kids playing with dinosaurs. I see kids sorting by color, doing visual, you know, eye hand coordination and visual discrimination. I see them using their fine motor skills,鈥� she said.

At lunch, kids learn how to open up a milk carton or open a packaged muffin. At PE, they learn to balance on a block or walk in a straight line 鈥� learning spatial awareness.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e learning how to run, stop, things like that and playing because their bodies are so young,鈥� said Principal Kohout.

Learn independence

For some kids, it might be the first time where mom and dad aren’t there to help carry their backpacks or . TK is meant to help focus on their independence, though aides can help.

TK classrooms are also usually set up with play centers, so kids can have the choice to explore on their own.

鈥溾�奍 want them to be independent, to be able to solve their problems, you know, with assistance,鈥� Ralston said.

Samantha Elliot, the TK teacher in Downey, says she encourages kids to talk to their teammates first to figure out an activity before going to a teacher.

鈥淚t’s just gaining the confidence and building that independence from basically the start of the school year,鈥� she said.

Parent Crystal Ramirez has already noticed a change in her 4-year-old this year since starting school. 鈥溾�奫He鈥檚] socializing a little bit more, talking a little bit more, trying to express himself as well.鈥�

California education officials are tasked with a difficult mission over the next few months 鈥� finding the best way to figure out which 4-year-olds need extra help learning English.

What makes this a challenge is that children at this age are still developing language skills, and they aren鈥檛 used to tests. In past assessments, children would sometimes cry and put their heads down on the desk.

When children enroll for the first time in California鈥檚 TK-12 schools, families must fill out a survey about the languages they speak at home. If a child speaks a language other than English, the school is required to use the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) to determine whether the student is an English learner.

Up until last school year, students in transitional kindergarten, or TK, had to take this test as well. But the California Legislature exempted these children after educators reported that 4-year-olds were , and advocates said young children were being identified as English learners simply because they were too young to answer the questions on a test not designed for preschoolers.

An  by the California Department of Education found that transitional kindergartners were more likely to have a low proficiency score in English on the ELPAC. In 2023-24, the last year that the ELPAC was required in TK, 81% of TK students tested were at the lowest level of English proficiency, compared to 67% of kindergartners tested. 

Beginning last year, transitional kindergartners were not assessed for English language proficiency, a decision many TK teachers celebrated.

For now, California has no formal way of determining transitional kindergartners鈥� English proficiency, which means schools miss out on federal and state funding for English learners. Schools are not required by law to provide students with language services or report their academic or language progress on the California School Dashboard.

But this summer, the state Legislature set aside $10 million in the budget to select a new screener for schools to use to identify TK students who need more help learning English. The state superintendent of public instruction has to select a list of screeners by , which will then be tested in some districts in 2026-27 before requiring screening in 2027-28.

鈥淲e are still in the early stages and details about the screener selection process are coming soon,鈥� said Michelle Hatfield, a spokesperson for the California Department of Education.

The Legislature also made a temporary fix to help schools recover what they lost in state funding for TK English learners until 2027.

Teachers wary of testing

There鈥檚 some controversy over whether a new screening instrument is necessary for children this young.

鈥淭echnically, they鈥檙e all learning English at this age,鈥� said Jacquilla Burris, a TK teacher in the Fresno Unified School District. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not a lot of difference for a child who is a non-English speaker.鈥�

She and other teachers interviewed by EdSource said they are relieved that students are no longer required to take the ELPAC and questioned why the state needs another assessment.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a waste of taxpayers鈥� money. For TK? Really?鈥� said Paula Merrigan, who teaches TK in Castro Valley. 

She said all children in her class are working on developing their vocabulary and language skills, no matter their native language. For example, she frequently stops to clarify what words mean when reading a book, she said.

鈥淭oday I said, 鈥楧o you know what grin means?鈥� They said no. I was like, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a smile,鈥欌�� Merrigan said. 鈥淓ven my native English speakers need the skills because they don鈥檛 have the vocabulary.鈥�

However, many researchers and educators say schools need a way to identify which students need more language support.

鈥淪ome people might say we鈥檙e all learning language in TK,鈥� said Bernadette Zerme帽o, professor and multilingual specialist with the California Early Childhood Mentor Program. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 true, and our multilingual geniuses, as I like to call them, need extra support.鈥�

Screening can also help schools target materials and training for teachers.

鈥淲e need to ensure that we鈥檙e providing those tools and resources to schools to help support not just English but also the home language,鈥� said Carolyne Crolotte, director of policy at Early Edge California, a nonprofit that advocated to exempt TK students from taking the ELPAC.

What tools exist

A screening instrument for this age group should focus more on speaking and understanding, rather than reading and writing, since most children have not yet learned those skills, researchers said. In addition, the vocabulary used should be more basic than for an older age group, and the assessment should be short and engaging, using games, stories and conversation. Researchers also said the most accurate assessment of a child鈥檚 language skills comes from observing how they interact with others.

Teachers said it is crucial that young children be observed or tested in an environment and with a person with whom they feel comfortable. Otherwise, children may be too shy or anxious to get accurate results.

A 2024  by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and New America found that 15 states require screening of preschoolers to identify whether they are English learners. Most use one of five screeners 鈥� , , ,  and  鈥� most of which were not developed specifically for students who speak languages other than English.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all over the place,鈥� said Rebecca Bergey, principal researcher for AIR. She said some states, like Texas and Illinois, require screening to identify English learners in preschool in part because they have laws requiring schools to provide bilingual programs if they have a certain percentage of English learners, and to prioritize how to use funding.

Other states have chosen not to identify English learners until kindergarten, partly because bilingual children are developing both languages simultaneously at this age, she said.

鈥淟anguage in this time frame is developing so rapidly and changing and dynamic. So I think there鈥檚 some caution. Even the best-designed assessment is going to be limited in what it tells us. And there鈥檚 a risk of inappropriately identifying students,鈥� Bergey said.

California鈥檚 preschool survey

California already has a family language survey, with a follow-up interview, used in state-subsidized preschools, which serve the same age group as TK, for identifying preschoolers who are . The term is used to recognize that a child is learning both English and their home language at the same time at this age. 

鈥淭here鈥檚 this continuous missed opportunity of alignment with our preschools, that鈥檚 not addressed enough,鈥� said Zerme帽o. 鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 be a whole separate entity.鈥�

However, she and others said the survey and interview need to be complemented by teacher and parent observations to pinpoint areas where students need extra support. She recommended that TK teachers have paid time to visit families鈥� homes so they can observe how the child speaks English and other languages with different family members. Those observations can then be complemented by observation of how a child interacts with peers and teachers.

Several TK teachers said the survey alone should not be used to identify students as English learners, in part because parents don鈥檛 always disclose the languages other than English spoken in the home to avoid their children being labeled an English learner, which they sometimes perceive as a disadvantage.

At the same time, teachers said, other parents report that a language other than English is spoken at home, but in reality, though adults may speak another language, the children only speak English.

Even some students who only speak English have a hard time passing the English proficiency test, teachers said, which is one reason they are concerned when students are misidentified early on.

鈥淢aybe they鈥檙e special ed, maybe they鈥檙e absent all the time, maybe they鈥檙e in foster care, maybe they鈥檙e homeless, maybe they have a certain home life, and because of that they鈥檙e lacking so many skills,鈥� said Marcella Gutierrez, a Mountain View TK teacher. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want kids labeled English learners when they鈥檙e just behind academically.鈥�

EdSource reporter Lasherica Thornton contributed to this article.

The number of students enrolled in TK has grown each year, but it is still far less than the number of eligible 4-year-olds.

With the rollout of TK,聽enrolled in publicly funded preschool programs, which also include state-subsidized preschool, Head Start programs and vouchers for low-income children to use in any child care program. were enrolled in one of these options in 2023-24, up from 37% in 2019-20.聽聽The majority of these children were in TK.

It is unclear how many of the other 45% of 4-year-olds enrolled in private preschool or stayed home.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a problem if children don鈥檛 know about it, or their families are not choosing it because it鈥檚 perceived to be low quality, but if it鈥檚 in fact that families prefer something else and those children are equally prepared for kindergarten, then it鈥檚 OK. We don鈥檛 really have the answers to those questions,鈥� said Laura Hill, policy director and senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California.

She said preschool and child care providers surveyed by PPIC have said they are losing some children to TK.

Awareness of TK is a problem, according to a . 

While 90% of families with small children said they鈥檇 like to enroll their little ones in a transitional kindergarten-style program, only 65% reported knowing TK was available, down from 83% the year before, according to the Stanford Center on Early Childhood. That means only 2 out of 3 California parents of children under age 6 had even heard about TK before taking the Stanford survey. Of these parents, lower-income families (64%) were less likely to know about TK compared to middle-class (74%) and higher-income families (81%).

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do one big splashy rollout and then expect everybody to keep up,鈥� said Abigail Stewart-Kahn, managing director at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood. 鈥淭he higher-income folks might hear about it from the news coverage, but lower-income folks, who frankly are just busier, might need to have trusted messengers, such as pediatricians, spread the word.鈥� 

One of the tricky issues is that there is always a new crop of parents who have never heard of TK. Marketing and communication can鈥檛 be a one-and-done process. 

鈥淒istricts have work to do to market TK to families,鈥� said Scott Moore, who runs Kidango, a nonprofit child care organization. 鈥淛ust a few years ago, in 2022, only 25% of 4-year-olds were eligible for TK, so a 65% awareness rate is not surprising, even though it needs to be improved.

The incremental expansion of TK also created rolling admission dates pegged to birthdays that confused many families. Clarity has long been lacking in the preschool space, according to Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley, who says the early education system in California is 鈥渙verly complex and confusing for parents,鈥� a maze of programs that parents must puzzle through.

This story was originally by EdSource.聽聽for their daily newsletter.鈥�

This story was originally published by . for their newsletters.

Break out the crayons and finger paint: Every 4-year-old in California is now eligible for transitional kindergarten.

Fifteen years after a handful of school districts opened the first TK classrooms, California now has the largest 鈥� 鈥� early education program in the country. At least 200,000 youngsters will attend TK this fall, enjoying low teacher-student ratios, age-appropriate curriculum and plenty of music, art and circle time.

鈥淭his really is something to celebrate,鈥� said Carolyne Crolotte, policy director for Early Edge California, an advocacy group. 鈥淣ow, there鈥檚 no question about who鈥檚 eligible and who isn鈥檛. Everyone is eligible.鈥�

TK is meant to be a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, preparing 4-year-olds for the routine and expectations of elementary school while honing their social skills and self-confidence. In TK, children learn how to make friends, write their names and do basic math. Mostly, they鈥檙e supposed to fall in love with learning.

Holding frogs and counting marshmallows

That was the case at Silverwood Elementary in Concord last week as a dozen bright-eyed 4-year-olds hovered around their teacher, Elizabeth Swanson, as she gingerly held out a tree frog for their inspection.

Several got a chance to hold the docile, turquoise amphibian.

鈥淲hat does the frog feel like? What do you wonder about the frog?鈥� said Swanson, who was recently named Mt. Diablo Unified鈥檚 Teacher of the Year. 鈥淗ow does he use his hands? How do you use your hands?鈥�

But the tree frog 鈥� one of several critters in her classroom 鈥� was not the most popular attraction that afternoon. That honor belonged to the 鈥渉ome living鈥� station, a corner of the classroom dedicated to costumes, dollhouses, a mini kitchen and everything else an imaginative youngster would need to play house.

Last year, an enterprising group of students, inspired by the opening of a Dutch Bros. near the school, used the home living station to open their own coffee shop. They ordered lattes and made coffee and collected money. Swanson turned it into a math lesson by asking them to count marshmallows and decide how many should go into each cup of hot chocolate.

鈥淥ne child would be the barista and one would be the customer, so they learned how to share and take turns,鈥� Swanson said. 鈥淭hey were getting so much practice with social language and communication. And everything was integrated into play.鈥�

Importance of fun

Judy Krause, executive director of early childhood programs at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, said that鈥檚 exactly what a TK classroom should be like. The focus should be on experimentation and hands-on activities, based on students鈥� interests. TK, she said, is not a version of kindergarten; 4-year-olds have unique developmental needs. The main one, she said, is having fun.

If children are enjoying themselves, they鈥檒l learn naturally, she said. If they feel overly pressured or bored, they鈥檒l lose interest and miss out on valuable skills they鈥檒l need for kindergarten and beyond.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really big deal that we have this opportunity for all 4-year-olds,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淏ut we have to make sure we鈥檙e doing it right.鈥�

15-year rollout of TK

California , and a decade later began expanding it to all districts. This year is the culmination of that effort, with all 4-year-olds now eligible and 91% of districts offering the program. The only districts that are exempt are those that don鈥檛 receive money through the state鈥檚 funding formula because they receive more money through their local property taxes.

Like kindergarten, TK is optional. But many districts, including Mt. Diablo Unified, have seen strong interest from families. A from the Public Policy Institute of California predicted that about 70% of 4-year-olds will enroll in TK this fall, with waiting lists in some districts. Black, Latino and Native American students have been slightly underrepresented so far, although those not enrolled might be enrolled in other programs. The state doesn鈥檛 track that data.

Nearly everyone agrees TK is a good idea. Children who鈥檝e attended TK tend to do better in reading and math, and those with disabilities can be identified early and receive services, .

TK, which is free, can be a financial boon for families. Because of California鈥檚 high cost of living, child care and preschool costs are among the highest in the country, with families paying up to $20,000 annually 鈥� more than the cost of in-state tuition at the University of California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has long championed TK, setting aside more than $2.7 billion in the years when the state had a budget surplus. The money is to help school districts pay teachers, keep class sizes small and provide other services to the new learners. Ongoing funds will come from the state鈥檚 Local Control Funding Formula.

鈥淐alifornia is making a big commitment to making transitional kindergarten free and accessible to all 4-year-olds,鈥� Newsom said in a . 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e finished, California will have the largest free preschool program in the country, where every 4-year-old can start their schooling on the right track, setting them up for success further down the road.鈥�

Teacher shortage and other challenges

But the TK rollout has had some hiccups. The chief one is finding enough qualified teachers. Because of the small class sizes and the extra qualifications required to teach 4-year-olds, there鈥檚 a , according to Early Edge California. Last year the state introduced a and more districts are partnering with local colleges to recruit and train future teachers, which has eased the shortage somewhat.

Another obstacle has been finding classroom space. Like kindergarten classrooms, TK classrooms must contain bathrooms, which means that districts had to find money to remodel existing classrooms, or build new ones altogether. Last year鈥檚 has funding available for TK projects.

TK has also had an impact on preschools. Families in California have several early education options: state-funded preschools for low-income families, federal Head Start preschool for very low-income families, and private preschools. Now that 4-year-olds have a free option, existing preschools have seen an enrollment decline that, in some cases, has led schools to raise prices or even close. A from UC Berkeley showed that TK expansion has led to 鈥溾�� in some parts of the state.

Bruce Fuller, an education professor at UC Berkeley who鈥檚 researched TK, said it鈥檚 too early to tell who鈥檚 benefitting from the program.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a shift away from preschool and toward TK, but we don鈥檛 know if TK is actually reaching new families,鈥� Fuller said. 鈥淲e might just be seeing families who would have enrolled anyway.鈥�

Dual-language programs

A handful of districts offer dual-language TK classes, which have been popular with parents. Karina Galustians, a parent in the Tujunga neighborhood of Los Angeles, enrolled her daughter Julianna last fall in an Armenian-English TK class in Los Angeles Unified鈥檚 Pinewood Early Education Center.

Galustians鈥� husband speaks fluent Armenian, and the couple was eager for Julianna to be able to communicate with the extended family and learn more about the culture.

鈥淭he more languages you know, the better off you are,鈥� said Galustians, whose first language is Spanish. 鈥淭o find a school where she can get those academic skills and practice her Armenian 鈥� me and my husband were beyond grateful. We hit the jackpot.鈥�

Julianna starts kindergarten this fall at another Los Angeles Unified school, where she鈥檒l be part of the Armenian dual language program. 鈥淲e feel like she鈥檚 very well prepared,鈥� Galustians said.

鈥楨veryone feels included鈥�

Meanwhile, at Silverwood Elementary in Concord, Swanson ended the day by having students put away the blocks and plastic bugs and Eric Carle books. Then she sat with them in a circle and praised each child鈥檚 efforts and told them how excited she was to see them again tomorrow.

鈥淒avid, you were super responsible today,鈥� Swanson told an awed 4-year-old as she handed him a personalized certificate. 鈥淟indsay, you were a good friend. Zaire, you were so respectful.鈥�

Then it was time for the children to go meet their parents, who were waiting at the side of the playground. Swanson chatted with nearly every parent, telling them how much she enjoys their children.

鈥淚 think TK should be the same as what we want for society generally,鈥� Swanson said. 鈥淚t should be a place where everyone feels included and valued. We want everyone to be curious and non-judgmental and happy to be here.鈥�

This article was and was republished under the license.

Despite expanding eligibility requirements, California鈥檚 transitional kindergarten program showed declining rates of participation, according to a recent report by the .

After the state launched the program in 2021, school districts offering optional transitional kindergarten began incrementally accepting younger 4-year-olds into the program in 2022 鈥� an expansion from the original requirement that students must be 5 or turning 5 in the fall. The report examined recent enrollment trends in the program to patterns before the expansion and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although the program showed an overall increase in enrollment in recent years, the rate of participation in transitional kindergarten dropped by 13% since before the pandemic. In the 2023-24 school year, the state鈥檚 transitional kindergarten program served over 150,000 students out of an estimated 215,000 eligible children, roughly 70% participation, according to the report.

Latino children showed the largest drop in participation, by 18%, while participation among Black children fell by 12%. Dual language learners had an 18% decline compared to pre-pandemic participation, and children from Pacific Islander, Native American, and Black communities also enrolled in transitional kindergarten at lower rates than their white and Asian counterparts.

Declining participation may be attributed to family preferences for availability and duration, location, learning environment and curriculum for younger 4-year-olds, according to the report. Although most school districts offer the program, basic aid districts, which are funded mostly through property taxes rather than state funding, are also less likely to offer transitional kindergarten due to the expense, the report states.

鈥淲hat might suffice for a nearly five-year-old is inadequate for an early four-year-old who may need help with toileting, opportunities for rest, and lots of play-based, behavioral learning,鈥� the report states. 鈥淥f the districts we interviewed, the top challenges included upgrading facilities to be age-appropriate, developing [transitional kindergarten] curriculum, and building staff and leadership capacity to accommodate early childhood education in K-12.鈥�

To draw in families, the report鈥檚 authors recommended that schools provide clear, accessible information about local transitional kindergarten programs to families, including location and after-care options, and that they transition from academic kindergarten-like curriculum to play-based curriculum to accommodate the developmental needs of younger 4-year-olds.

This was originally published on .

California is a notable, laudable exception to this trend. , under the leadership of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the state embarked on an ambitious effort to more than double its number of public pre-K and transitional kindergarten (or 鈥淭K鈥�) seats for 4-year-old Californians from just over 147,000 to roughly 400,000. (TK began in 2008 for children who just missed the state鈥檚 cutoff for kindergarten enrollment, but has significantly expanded to serve more 4-year-olds since 2021). 

This would be a major accomplishment for the state and for early education advocates. The key, of course, is to show how policymakers can dramatically grow pre-K and TK access while maintaining crucial quality elements that support children鈥檚 development. The best way to do that is to ensure that the state鈥檚 new early education classrooms have great teachers prepared to meet their students鈥� needs. 

According to the Migration Policy Institute, in 2022, of California children under 5 years old have at least one parent who speaks a non-English language at home. As such, it鈥檚 particularly that the state fill its new pre-K and TK classrooms with bilingual early educators. 

How鈥檚 the state doing at building bilingualism into its new public early education system? Let鈥檚 start with the good news. California had a wealth of bilingual early educators before it launched its early education expansion. In 2020, according to data from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC-Berkeley, nearly half of staff members working in early childhood education centers , and around 40% identified as Latina. Furthermore, as of that year, the state鈥檚 early educators were overwhelmingly (98%) women, and had, on average, working in early childhood education settings. As California expands its early education system to fund 鈥� and operate 鈥� the bulk of classrooms for its 4-year-olds, this diverse workforce provides a strong foundation of experience. 

In a , which I co-authored with my colleague Jonathan Zabala in my role as a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, we uncovered something troubling. The requirements to become an early educator in the state’s growing public early education system are likely to exclude many of these women 鈥� and their valuable linguistic and cultural assets 鈥� from careers in the state鈥檚 growing public early education system. As we note in the report, California is rolling out a new kind of credential, which, over time, will become the standard for TK teachers. That credential “requires candidates to have a bachelor鈥檚 degree, complete specific coursework and assessments demonstrating competence, pass the CalTPA, and perform 600 hours of student teaching.”

These credential requirements reflect a choice by state policymakers to align TK teaching credentials with K鈥�12 requirements, which are generally more stringent than early education requirements. This makes California鈥檚 public TK classrooms more accessible to K鈥�12 public school teachers whose credentialing largely aligns, but it places these jobs out of reach for many early educators with decades of experience working in private pre-K classrooms.

In the American early care and education system, credentialing and licensure is complicated. Regulations vary by state and there’s no single model that’s been written in the stars as the one true and best policy. Rather, the rules policymakers set reflect a host of tradeoffs that influence the demographics of the teachers children get. And because of an array of factors both substantively wide and historically deep 鈥� , racial and ethnic wealth gaps, cost increases in higher education, and more 鈥� even seemingly neutral training requirements can produce a surprisingly homogeneous teaching workforce ill-suited to supporting a diverse population of students. 

For instance, there鈥檚 nothing inherently racist or monolingually-biased about requiring teacher candidates to practice their future profession as student teachers before getting their license to be a lead teacher. But if the clinical hours spent as a student teacher aren鈥檛 paid, even though student teachers are still required to pay tuition to their training programs during that time, then candidates without significant financial resources may be less likely to make it over this hurdle. And that鈥檚 part of why, in a country where and are disproportionately likely to be growing up below 鈥� or near 鈥� the poverty line, we have such persistent shortages of bilingual teachers and teachers of color. 

Nearly every teacher credential requirement involves this sort of tradeoff 鈥� for early educators or for K鈥�12 teachers. The more standardized and less flexible a state鈥檚 licensure system is, the more difficult it can be for diverse candidates to reach the classroom. What鈥檚 more, as we note in our report, 鈥渇rustratingly, research indicates that many licensure requirements don鈥檛 generally produce higher-quality instruction or better outcomes for students.鈥� 

What can California policymakers do to ensure that more of their current, experienced, linguistically diverse early educators reach the state鈥檚 new pre-K and TK classrooms? Well, when it comes to policy reforms for diversifying the teacher workforce, there really are only two main options. Policymakers can either: 

1) Pursue investments that can provide financial support for non-traditional teacher candidates going through traditional training and licensure systems, including scholarships, large stipends for student-teaching and additional pay to help people miss work to go to classes. 

2) Introduce more flexibility into their credential requirements, such as alternative training pathways, credential waivers and equivalency provisions, which would make it possible for candidates with years of early childhood experience to be counted toward clinical hours.

That’s it. There really isn’t some other clever mechanism. Either California needs to invest significantly more so that more bilingual early educator candidates get the (mostly monolingual) credentials the state requires or it needs to change the credentials it requires. 

So, as we note in the report, California policymakers urgently need reforms that help early childhood educators have their 鈥渓anguage skills and instructional expertise as partially or fully equivalent to the credentials required for becoming a TK teacher.鈥� This could involve creating new provisional credentials that allow long-time early educators to become lead TK teachers in the new public system for five to seven years while they complete further training. It could involve major state investments in waiving tuition or providing student teaching stipends for bilingual TK teacher candidates. 

The story of the last big cycle of early education investments makes it clear that effective implementation matters at least as much as political momentum. And when it comes to supporting young, linguistically diverse kids, that means building systems that support the training and hiring of bilingual early educators. California is an emerging national leader in early education, so it鈥檚 critical that it gets this early education expansion right. The state already has the bilingual teacher candidates it needs. The next big step is making sure it keeps them in its new public early education system. 

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Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom  of California鈥� transitional kindergarten expansion, saying enrollment in the $2.7 billion program had doubled over the past two years. His comments echoed those of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who .鈥�

They both pointed to new data showing that enrollment in the free program for 4-year-olds had gone from 75,000 two years ago to 151,000 last year 鈥� a significant recovery after steep declines during the pandemic. 

But while the overall numbers are up, the percentage of eligible 4-year-olds enrolled in TK actually fell. As the TK age cut-off widens, the number of eligible children has more than doubled 鈥� but the percentage of students who are enrolled dropped between 4 to 7 percentage points between the 2021-22 and 2023-24 school years, depending on how the number of eligible children is calculated.

CalMatters used two approaches to estimate the percent of eligible TK students enrolled: using kindergarten enrollment the same year as a proxy and using general population projections from the Department of Finance. Both approaches show the same trend.

Department of Education spokesperson Elizabeth Sanders said the department uses a method from the Finance Department to calculate the percentage of eligible students in TK but did not provide specifics.

鈥淭he trends we see in the percentages of eligible students whose families are enrolling in TK mirror the trends described by (CalMatters鈥�) data set,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s we expand the number of students and families eligible, we expect the percentage of families who choose to participate to hover around 70% and to increase following full implementation.鈥�

Sanders pointed to the growing number of children attending TK as a hopeful sign for the program, which is intended to boost academic achievement and social skills and prepare students for the rigors of elementary school.

鈥淭he fact that we have doubled the number of individual students participating in the program during these implementation years makes us very proud,鈥� Sanders said. 

TK advocates said the increased numbers alone are worth celebrating, and they expect the percentage to inch upward over time.

鈥淭his is great, this is what we want to see. It shows that schools are building back trust,鈥� said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California, which advocates for early childhood education. 鈥淭K is a great option for families, but it鈥檚 good for kids, too. Kids need to be around other kids.鈥�

Transitional kindergarten was never meant to be an exclusive early childhood service for families; it鈥檚 intended to be one option among several the state offers, Lozano said. So any increase in participation is reason for hope.

Transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds

The state  in 2010, but it was limited mostly to larger districts and was open only to children whose birthdays fell between September and December. In 2021, Newsom expanded it so all 4-year-olds could eventually participate. Rolling out gradually, the eligibility window widens by a few months every year. In 2025-26, all 4-year-olds will be eligible and all districts except charters will be required to offer it.

 that TK and preschool have many benefits for children, including higher rates of graduation and employment, less criminal activity later in life and overall better health, while parents benefit economically from an extra year of free care for their children.

Transitional kindergarten is , a low-key environment where children spend most of their day playing and learning social skills. Typically, children learn to take turns and make friends, express themselves and regulate their emotions, count to 10 and recognize simple words, and learn fine motor skills such as holding a pencil. Unlike preschool, TK teachers are required to have credentials and, by 2025-26, extra units in early childhood education.

Michelle Galindo, a parent in Chula Vista Unified south of San Diego, said she was hesitant at first to send her son Roberto to TK. She鈥檇 heard reports of crying children and inexperienced teachers, and 4-year-olds seemed too young for school. 

But she happened to know the teacher and trusted her. Her son thrived in the program, gaining independence, making friends and learning.

鈥淗e鈥檚 so much more confident. He asks a lot of questions, is more responsible,鈥� Galindo said. 鈥淲hen he got to kindergarten last year, he actually thought it was too easy. The teacher said he was a full year ahead. I鈥檓 really glad we sent him to TK.鈥�

Wealthier districts slow to open transitional kindergarten

There are a few theories explaining the stagnant percentage of TK enrollment. One is that not all districts are offering it yet. Districts known as 鈥渂asic aid鈥� districts have been slow to open TK programs, and some aren鈥檛 offering it at all. Basic aid districts are typically wealthy districts that opt out of state funding because they collect more money through local property taxes. Because of that, they can鈥檛 get state funding to operate TK classes.

Marin County is home to several basic aid districts that have lagged in opening TK programs. Larkspur-Corte Madera School District , saying it can鈥檛 afford to without state help. Ross Elementary doesn鈥檛 offer TK, either. The result is that Marin has one of the lowest TK enrollment rates in California, even though the county has pockets of low-income families who would benefit from the free service.

鈥淓veryone thinks TK is a good idea, but for basic aid districts, it鈥檚 an unfunded mandate,鈥� said Marin County Superintendent of Schools John A. Carroll. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken a while, but we鈥檙e getting there. Most have now gotten on board.鈥� 

San Francisco Unified also has one of the state鈥檚 lowest TK enrollments, with more than four times as many kindergartners as TK students. Statewide, there were 2.4 kindergartners for every TK student last year. San Francisco鈥檚 low numbers are partly due to the extensive preschool program the district already offers. They鈥檙e also due in part to a steady decline in the number of children living in San Francisco, as parents leave for less expensive locales, said district spokeswoman Laura Dudnick. 

Facilities have also been an obstacle for school districts. Districts must find space for new TK classrooms, which in fast-growing parts of the state has been difficult. Proposition 2, a on the November ballot, would provide funding for schools to build and expand TK classrooms.

Preschool vs. transitional kindergarten

Another hurdle to TK enrollment is preschool. In addition to private preschools and federally funded Head Start programs, California offers free preschool to low-income families. Some parents said they prefer to keep their children in preschool because it鈥檚 convenient or they like the program.   

Roslyn Broadnax, a parent in South Los Angeles, said she distrusts the state鈥檚 push for TK, fearing that TK will siphon resources from state-funded preschools, which in many cases are long-established, trusted parts of communities.

鈥淭he existing preschool system has served low-income kids, kids of color very well,鈥� said Broadnax, who works for Cadre-LA, a nonprofit that advocates for parents in South Los Angeles. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 little difference between preschool and TK, why should a parent move their child to TK? It doesn鈥檛 make a lot of sense.鈥�

 from UC Berkeley found that the TK expansion has had a damaging effect on state preschools and Head Start, as parents move their children out of those programs. Although the overall number of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education programs has increased slightly, Head Start centers in California have lost 43,000 preschoolers, while state preschools have lost 9,000 4-year-olds since the TK expansion. The result has been shuttered classrooms, a scarcity of teachers and uncertain futures in what researchers called 鈥減re-K deserts.鈥�

鈥淭he real question is, are more families accessing pre-kindergarten overall? We can鈥檛 find evidence that they are,鈥� said Bruce Fuller, an education professor at UC Berkeley and an author of the study. 鈥淭o say that the TK enrollment has doubled relative to a year in which many preschool classrooms were closed (due to COVID) is disingenuous.鈥�

Another hitch is that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when most preschools closed, California guaranteed funding for them through 2025. Now, the state is paying for half-empty preschools across California and preschools have no incentive to recruit more families, according to the report.

The whole early education system in California is overly complex and confusing for parents, Fuller and his team said. They recommend a streamlined, consolidated system that delivers high-quality, play-based programs that are distributed equitably throughout the state. 

Not enough qualified teachers

 since the beginning of TK. While most school districts have been able to hire enough credentialed teachers, they鈥檝e struggled to hire classroom assistants and teachers who have the extra credits in early childhood education that will be required by 2025-26. Schools reported a 12% vacancy rate for TK teaching assistants at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, according to a by the Learning Policy Institute.

Ericka Hill, a parent in Los Angeles, said her son was in a mixed kindergarten-TK classroom, with a substitute teacher for half the year. The substitute had little experience in early childhood education and gave the children worksheets to take home every night.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think a 4-year-old should be sitting down at a desk. It needs to be age appropriate,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淗e was resistant to doing the work. It was difficult for all of us.鈥�

San Diego, Los Angeles, Sonoma, Orange and Ventura counties have some of the highest rates of TK enrollment, thanks in part to extensive outreach to parents. Bus advertisements, billboards, online ads, and flyers at day care centers and preschools all helped bring in new families.

Garden Grove Unified, a mostly low-income district in northern Orange County, expanded its TK program so quickly, in fact, that it incurred hefty fines from the state for allegedly enrolling students who didn鈥檛 yet qualify and not meeting student-teacher ratios that the state set later. The district is fighting the penalties, but meanwhile nearly every child who鈥檚 eligible for TK is enrolled.

鈥淲e knew that our families would want to enroll as soon as possible,鈥� said district spokesperson Abby Broyles. 鈥淲e launched a marketing campaign to get the word out. 鈥� Our families have been thrilled with the high-quality TK they鈥檝e received.鈥�

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Thanks to TikTok videos, billboards and other creative marketing techniques, enrollment in transitional kindergarten in California appears to be climbing. But advocates are keeping an eye on how those 4-year-olds are spending their class time 鈥� which they say will be a key factor in whether the $2.7 billion program is a success.

鈥淨uality is top of mind for us. Some districts are treating it like a second year of kindergarten, which we know doesn鈥檛 work,鈥� said Benjamin Cottingham, with Policy Analysis for California Education, an independent, nonpartisan research center. 鈥淭o be effective, TK needs to be a play-based, developmentally appropriate course of study.鈥�

Transitional kindergarten, which California  in 2010, is meant to ease 4-year-olds into the rigors of elementary school. Ideally, it combines the carefree fun of preschool with a hint of structure and academic know-how, so children are better prepared for kindergarten and beyond. In a high-quality TK classroom, children learn to share and take turns, draw pictures and play with blocks, sit in a circle and enjoy story time, among other skills.

A  by the American Institute of Research found that children who completed TK had stronger skills in math and literacy when they started kindergarten and were more engaged in learning than their peers who didn鈥檛 participate in the program. The benefits were especially pronounced for English learners and low-income students.

In 2021, California , requiring schools to provide space for all eligible 4-year-olds whose families want it. With a rollout period of five years, schools have been busy hiring and training teachers, buying more crayons and blocks, converting classrooms to meet state guidelines and getting the word out.

After a lull, enrollment appears to rebound

In 2022-23, enrollment lagged below expectations, likely due to the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic, . Just over half of California鈥檚 eligible 4-year-olds were enrolled in TK last year, roughly 22% below state projections. But now enrollment appears to be increasing. The official numbers for 2023-24 won鈥檛 be available for several months, but a CalMatters sampling of districts statewide reported better-than-expected enrollment so far this year. 

Schools credit the uptick to improved outreach. District staff are talking to parents at local preschools and child care centers, posting flyers in pediatricians鈥� offices, buying ads on social media and even going door-to-door.

In Rescue Union School District in the Sierra foothills of El Dorado County, word-of-mouth has been the most effective recruitment tool, said Superintendent Jim Shoemake. The district bought newspaper ads and put up signs, but nothing compares to the power of parents chatting at barbecues, block parties and soccer games. Enrollment has increased steadily, with 142 students enrolled this year, and the retention rate is nearly 100%, he said.

鈥淭K has benefitted the entire district,鈥� Shoemake said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to have a child on campus for six years, but seven is even better. We get a chance to onboard these kids early, so they鈥檙e successful not just in elementary school, but middle school and beyond.鈥�

Rescue Union parent Aly Perkins said her twin daughters, Hazel and Scarlett, loved their TK class last year. They learned their ABCs and 123s, but it was social skills that had the biggest impact, she said. 

鈥淭hey learned things like manners, how to make friends, how to keep friends 鈥� those skills will benefit them their whole lives,鈥� Perkins said. 鈥淚 think TK gives kids the confidence and cushion they need to succeed in school. I鈥檓 really glad we decided to send them.鈥�

Even in Los Angeles Unified, the nation鈥檚 second-largest school district, word-of-mouth has been key to TK enrollment. In addition to bus ads and billboards, a social media campaign, a hotline and robocalls, the district has enlisted school staff and parent volunteers to hand out flyers within a four-block radius of elementary schools.

鈥淎 parent saying, 鈥業 have my kid in this program and it鈥檚 great鈥� is much better than it coming from me,鈥� said Dean Tagawa, the district鈥檚 executive director for early childhood education. 鈥淭hat parent-to-parent connection, that level of trust, is what鈥檚 important.鈥�

The tactics seem to be working. Los Angeles Unified has opened TK classrooms at nearly all 488 elementary schools. And children who attended the district鈥檚 TK program have significantly outperformed their peers not in the program in reading, writing and math in kindergarten and first grade, . They also fared better social-emotionally, based on teacher feedback on report cards.

In Lodi Unified,  chronicling a day in the life of a Lodi kindergartener has garnered more than 13,200 views and helped fill classrooms. With enrollment exceeding expectations, the district is on track to open at least one TK classroom at every elementary school by 2025-26.

鈥淥verall, it鈥檚 going really well, and I believe that by the time these students are in third grade, we鈥檙e going to see huge improvements in outcomes,鈥� said Susan Petersen, the district鈥檚 director of education. 

Persistent staffing challenges 

While , Lodi Unified has filled all its vacancies, she said. The district is providing training and in-classroom coaching, and using a curriculum focused on learning through playing. Some of the new TK teachers are credentialed elementary teachers, and some are veteran preschool teachers pursuing credentials.

鈥淲e鈥檝e found that it鈥檚 a sought-after position,鈥� she said.

Recognizing that 4-year-olds learn in unique ways, the Legislature will require by 2025 TK teachers to have credentials as well as 24 units of early childhood education or the equivalent. That extra requirement may pose a barrier to filling positions 鈥� many districts are already grappling with teacher shortages. An  last fall found that 80% of school districts in California didn鈥檛 yet have enough qualified TK teachers.

Meanwhile, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is working on  that will prepare teachers for preschool through third grade, with a focus on literacy. A goal: create a  in which students learn by playing, rather than sitting at desks.   

That focus on high-quality teaching and learning is imperative if TK is going to succeed in getting students ahead in the early years, Cottingham said. The state is updating its preschool  to include TK, but schools cannot afford to wait for the new version; they should 鈥渨ork with what we鈥檝e already got,鈥� or students will lose out on the benefits of an additional year of schooling, Cottingham said.

Assessments will also be important, he said, to hold districts accountable for the quality of their programs. Currently, the state is not requiring schools to test students in TK, although it does provide guidelines on how to measure students鈥� progress.

Hanna Melnick, senior policy adviser at the Learning Policy Institute who co-leads the early childhood learning team, adds that assessment, as well as curriculum, will be important as TK expands. 

鈥淭he TK rollout has been faster than we expected, but we don鈥檛 have a good way to monitor quality, and district capacities to teach 4-year-olds vary greatly,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome have been doing this for a long time, and some are new and don鈥檛 yet have the background or training.鈥�

鈥楢 system that鈥檚 working鈥� in Tulare

Tulare City School District, a 9,200-student district south of Fresno, has been offering a cohesive preschool-through-first-grade program for a decade, and seeing positive results. Until the pandemic, third grade math and reading scores had jumped nearly 30% since the district implemented the program in the early 2010s. Now they are again beginning to improve.

The curriculum is linked from grade to grade, and teachers work closely together, easing children鈥檚 transitions from one classroom to the next. All sites offer after-school care, making it easier for parents with jobs. And teachers try to get to know families and ensure they feel welcome and part of their children鈥檚 education, said Jennifer Marroquin, the district鈥檚 assistant superintendent of educational services.

鈥淔or parents, it can be scary dropping your 3- or 4-year-old off for the first time. So we try to make them feel supported,鈥� Marroquin said. 鈥淲e found a system that鈥檚 working, and it鈥檚 become one of our district鈥檚 strengths.鈥�

By the time TK is fully in place statewide, most districts should have programs resembling Tulare鈥檚, said Kelly Reynolds, a policy analyst for Early Edge California, a nonprofit advocacy group that鈥檚 worked closely with the state on transitional kindergarten. She expects the challenges with staffing, enrollment and quality will be resolved 鈥� or close to it 鈥� within the next few years.

Because transitional kindergarten, like kindergarten itself, is not mandatory, enrollment will never be 100%, she noted. And depending on where they live, 4-year-olds have plenty of high-quality options aside from TK 鈥� including private preschool, state-supported preschool, child care and Head Start. 

鈥淲e want to make sure all 4-year-olds are being served in high-quality programs, and families know the breadth of opportunities available to them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 do think we鈥檙e on track. Enrollment is trending upwards, and we鈥檙e seeing there鈥檚 a real demand for TK.鈥�